The present application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-065405 filed Mar. 11, 2003, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a cartridge, and a cartridge detecting device, and more particularly to a cartridge a state of which is accurately detectable and which is constructed to prevent the user from interfering with an indicator member indicating the state, and a device constructed to permit accurate detection of the state of the cartridge, while preventing the user""s interference with the indicator member.
2. Discussion of Related Art
JP-11-58773A (laid-open publication of Japanese Patent Application) shows, in FIG. 1, in particular, an ink jet recording apparatus capable of determining whether an ink cartridge installed in the apparatus is a new one or a used one. This ink jet recording apparatus is provided with a first switch for detecting whether the ink cartridge per se has been installed in position, and a second switch for detecting whether a film affixed or bonded to the outer surface of a main body of the ink cartridge has been torn or pierced with a needle. The film is arranged to be necessarily torn when the ink cartridge has been installed in position. The ink jet recording apparatus of this type determines that the ink cartridge the installation of which has been detected by the first switch is a new one if the tearing of the film has been detected by the second switch, and a used one if the tearing has not been detected by the second switch. JP-11-58773A also discloses means usable in place of the film, for determining whether the ink cartridge is a new or used one. This means includes a jaw that is arranged to deform when the ink cartridge is installed. The determination as to whether the ink cartridge is the new or used one is based on an amount or state of deformation of the jaw. JP-11-91134 (laid-open publication of Japanese Patent Application) discloses, in FIGS. 1, 4, 6 and 8, in particular, other means for making the determination, such as: means for making the determination depending upon whether an electrically resistive body has been broken; means for making the determination depending upon whether an optical path formed by a photoelectric switch is closed or open; and means for making the determination by reading data stored on a magnetic tape.
Where the film is affixed to the outer surface of the ink cartridge, the user may tear off the film by error prior to the installation of the ink cartridge, or may affix an adhesive tape of a different material to the ink cartridge after the original film has been torn off, or to mend the torn film. In this event, the ink cartridge cannot be used, or the state of installation of the ink cartridge cannot be exactly detected.
Further, the ink jet recording apparatus constructed as described above permits only the determination as to whether the ink cartridge is a new one or a used one.
It is therefore a first object of the present invention to provide a cartridge detecting device constructed to permit accurate detection of a state of a cartridge while preventing the user from interfering with an indicator member indicating the state of the cartridge. A second object of this invention is to provide a cartridge a state of which is accurately detectable and which is constructed to prevent the user""s interference with the indicator member
The first object indicated above may be achieved according to a first aspect of this invention, which provides a cartridge detecting device for detecting a state of a cartridge to be removably installed on a working device, the cartridge detecting device comprising: (a) a passage formed within the cartridge and extending in a direction of movement of the cartridge for installation thereof on the working device, the passage having an opening open at one end of the cartridge in the direction of movement; (b) a projecting member insertable into the passage through the opening as the cartridge is moved for installation thereof on the working device, the projecting member being movable in the direction of movement; (c) a non-reversibly changing member disposed in the passage, at a predetermined distance from the opening, the non-reversibly changing member being changeable from a first state for a first relationship with the projecting member, to a second state for a second relationship with the projecting member, the non-reversibly changing member being unable to change from the second state back to the first state; (d) a first detector operable by the cartridge when the cartridge is moved for installation thereof on the working device; (e) a second detector operable by the projecting member, depending upon whether the non-reversibly changing member is placed in the first state or the second state, during the movement of the cartridge for installation thereof on the working device; and (f) a determining portion connected to the first and second detectors and determining the state of the cartridge on the basis of outputs of the first and second detectors.
In the cartridge detecting device constructed according to the first aspect of this invention, the non-reversible changing member is disposed at a portion of the passage, which is spaced a predetermined distance from the opening. The determining portion is arranged to determine the state of the cartridge on the basis of the output of the first detector which is operable by the cartridge during its movement for installation on the working device, and the output of the second detector which is operable by the projecting member during the movement of the cartridge for installation on the working device. In this arrangement, the non-reversibly changing member is not accessible by the user of the cartridge. Accordingly, the present cartridge detecting device assures improved accuracy of detection of the installation of the cartridge on the working device, and improved accuracy of determination of the state of the cartridge, for example, determination as to whether the installed cartridge is a new one or a used one.
According to a first preferred form of the first aspect of this invention, the non-reversibly changing member inhibits a relative movement of the cartridge and the projecting member when the non-reversibly changing member is placed in the first state, and permits the relative movement when the non-reversibly changing member is placed in the second state.
In one advantageous arrangement of the above-indicated first preferred form of the invention, the non-reversibly changing member comprises a generally planar member which inhibits insertion of a distal end portion of the projecting member into an inner portion of the passage located inwardly of the non-reversibly changing member within the cartridge, when the generally planar member is placed in the first state, and which permits the insertion of the distal end portion of the projecting member into the inner portion of the passage, when the generally planar member is placed in the second state.
According to a second preferred form of the first aspect of the invention, the cartridge and the first detector are arranged such that the output of the first detector changes a plurality of times as the cartridge is moved for installation thereof on the working device, and the determining portion is operable to determine the state of the cartridge on the basis of a plurality of combinations of the outputs of the first and second detectors.
In one advantageous arrangement of the above-indicated second preferred form of the cartridge detecting device, the determining portion is operable to determine a state of the non-reversibly changing member on the basis of the output of the first detector generated when the cartridge is located at a predetermined position relative to the working device during the movement for installation thereof, and the output of the second detector which is generated in response to a position of the projecting member relative to the working device.
According to a third preferred form of the first aspect of the invention, the first detector is fixed to the working device, and the cartridge has a plurality of portions (211, 212, 213) which are spaced from each other in the direction of movement and which are positioned relative to the first detector, so as to be engageable with the first detector during its movement, for thereby changing the output of the first detector.
According to a fourth preferred form of the first aspect of the invention, the determining portion is operable to determine that the cartridge is abnormal, on the basis of the output of the second detector generated when the second detector is operated by the projecting member, while the output of the first detector indicates that the non-reversibly changing member has not reached the projecting member.
According to a fifth preferred form of the first aspect of the invention, the determining portion is operable, after the output of the first detector has changed before the non-reversibly changing member reaches the projecting member during the movement of the cartridge for installation thereof on the working device, to determine whether the non-reversibly changing member is placed in the first state or the second state, on the basis of the output of the second detector generated when or after the non-reversibly changing member has reached the projecting member.
According to a fifth preferred form of the first aspect of the invention, the first detector is fixed to the working device, and the cartridge has a portion positioned relative to the first detector during the movement thereof, for thereby changing the output of the first detector, the second detector being fixed to the working device, and the projecting member being movable by the non-reversibly changing member, after the non-reversibly changing member has reached the projecting member, for thereby changing the output of the second detector.
The first object indicated above may also be achieved according to a second aspect of the present invention, which provides a cartridge detecting device for detecting a state of a cartridge to be removably installed on a working device, the cartridge detecting device comprising: (a) a passage formed within the cartridge and extending in a direction of movement of the cartridge for installation thereof on the working device, the passage having an opening open at one end of the cartridge in the direction of movement; (b) a projecting member insertable into the passage through the opening as the cartridge is moved for installation thereof on the working device, the projecting member being movable in the direction of movement; (c) a non-reversibly changing member disposed in the passage, at a predetermined distance from the opening, the non-reversibly changing member being changeable from a first state to a second state, the non-reversibly changing member being unable to change from the second state back to the first state; (d) a detector device operable depending upon whether the non-reversibly changing member is placed in the first state or the second state, when the cartridge is moved for installation thereof on the working device; and (e) a determining portion operable to determine the state of the cartridge on the basis of an output of the detector device. This cartridge detecting device according to the second aspect of this invention has substantially the same advantage as described with respect to the first aspect of the invention.
According to another preferred form of the cartridge detecting device according to the first or second aspect of this invention, the non-reversibly changing member is placed in the first state when a first force acts on the cartridge in the direction of movement thereof for installation thereof on the working device, the non-reversibly changing member in the first state engaging the projecting member so as to inhibit insertion of a distal end portion of the projecting member into an inner portion of the passage located inwardly of the non-reversibly changing member within the cartridge, and permitting the projecting member to be moved with the cartridge in the direction of movement, the non-reversibly changing member changing from the first state to the second state when a second force larger than the first force acts between the projecting member and the non-reversibly changing member, the non-reversibly changing member in the second state permitting the insertion of the distal end portion of the projecting member into the inner portion of the passage.
In one advantageous arrangement of the preferred form of the invention described just above, the cartridge detecting device further comprises a stop member for stopping a movement of the projecting member together with the cartridge in the direction of movement of the cartridge while the non-reversibly changing member is held in engagement with the projecting member in the first state of the non-reversibly changing member, the stop member stopping the movement of the projecting member before the cartridge has been installed at a predetermined position of installation on the working device, the non-reversibly changing member changing from the first state to the second state when the cartridge is further moved in the direction of movement for installation thereof from a position at which the movement of the projecting member is stopped by the stop member.
According to a further preferred form of the cartridge detecting device according to the first or second aspect of this invention, the cartridge is an ink cartridge having an ink reservoir, and the opening of the ink cartridge is communicated with an upper part of the ink reservoir, for introducing an atmosphere into the upper part when the non-reversibly changing member changes from the first state to the second state.
The second object indicated above may also be achieved according to a third aspect of the present invention, which provides a cartridge to be removably installed on a working device, the cartridge comprising: a passage formed extending in a direction of movement of the cartridge for installation thereof on the working device, the passage having an opening open at one end of the cartridge in the direction of movement; and a non-reversibly changing member disposed in the passage, at a predetermined distance from the opening, the non-reversibly changing member being changeable from a first state for a first relationship with the projecting member, to a second state for a second relationship with the projecting member, the non-reversibly changing member being unable to change from the second state back to the first state.
The cartridge may be an ink cartridge having an ink reservoir. In this case, the opening may be communicated with an upper part of the ink reservoir, for introducing an atmosphere into the upper part when the non-reversibly changing member changes from the first state to the second state.